CURRY 5 ‘WELCOME HOME’

There aren’t many brands that have made a case for themselves to be considered in the top tier of performance basketball shoes quite like Under Armour has. Since the original introduction of the Curry line, Under Armour has released a steady stream of high quality on-court sneakers that have really captured the basketball world’s attention. They’re back again with the latest addition to Stephen Curry’s signature sneaker line, and these may be the biggest game-changer yet.

Up until this point, flashy and successful superstars were the ones with highlight-reel dunks and outrageous personalities. Since Steph’s entrance in to the league he has changed the mold and updated the template of what a superstar in the NBA can look like. Curry is a small point guard with unlimited 3-point range and an air tight handle. He is different, he is weird, but he is taking over the league. That is the inspiration behind the design of the Curry 5; the basketball world has never seen someone like Stephen Curry, and there has never been a basketball shoe quite like the Curry 5.

Aesthetically, the Curry 5 is not like anything else we’ve seen from Steph’s signature line. The low cut construction strays away from his typical high-cut preference, and the knitted upper is a flashy contrast to his generally simple designs. The hits of orange on the tongue, laces, and outsole, along with the multi-knit panels on the upper ensure that the sneaker has that subtle pop, but isn’t crazy enough to sound any alarms for those who like to keep things low key. I am a massive fiend for anything with a multi-knit design, so when I laid eyes on these for the first time I was instantly hooked.

Performance wise, I like these better than the Curry 4 – which I also had the opportunity to hoop in. My main beef with the Curry 4 was that they were not the easiest to get on my foot, and that the were snug around the toe box – both of which were improved upon with the Curry 5. I also enjoyed having a little bit of extra mobility around my ankle, but the wide forefoot on these made sure I was still secure and supported. The underfoot feel is very similar to the Curry 4 (which is not a bad thing). Grip on the Curry line has been stellar since day one, and these are no exception. A major red flag when you have a super grippy sole and a low cut upper is a rolled ankle, but I felt very stable and comfortable while balling in these. Similarly to other basketball sneakers on the market, there is an extra thick pod under the toe that is meant to give smaller guards a little more spring in their step; this tech is also seen on Nike’s Kyrie line.

Overall I was a fan of this sneaker as a ball shoe, but I also wouldn’t hesitate to throw them on casually with a pair of sweats. They break in very well, which is to be expected with a knit upper, and they are so unique-looking that I had many people asking what they were. I love that UA is thinking outside of the box with their designs and concepts, and I’d love to see more of this storytelling on their future releases.

The Curry 5 “Welcome Home” is available for purchase right now on Under Armour’s webstore and at select Foot Locker Canada & Champs Sports locations.